Lieke Smits-Martens once started with a part-time job as a catering employee at Jaarbeurs. Since then, she has moved on to become manager of the Jaarbeurs MeetUp meeting centre. In between, she made one trip to another employer, but that didn't last long. "When I came back, I was welcomed with open arms. As if I hadn't been away. That felt right away."
The openness and family feeling is the core of Jaarbeurs for Lieke. Of course it's all about events, guests and beautiful locations. But ultimately, for her, it's the people who make the difference. "It really feels like you have a lot in common here. That you can build on each other and go through fire for each other."
At Jaarbeurs , it's not just about spaces, events or targets. It's about people. And that's where I feel at home.Lieke Smits-Martens, manager MeetUp guest events
Meeting as an experience
As manager of MeetUp, Lieke leads a team of five account managers. Together, they ensure that customers feel welcome and that meetings run smoothly. This is more than just hiring out a room, she says. "I think it's important that clients know that we take work off their hands. That everything is ready, that it is tidy, that the catering suits their needs and that there are no surprises."
Achieving results together
What she likes most about her job is the moment when everything comes together. "When you work hard on something with your team and the operational teams and afterwards you see that it produces results," she says. She cites an example from last year, when customer satisfaction at MeetUp was under pressure. Negative feedback was coming in about service, catering or cleaning. Lieke then decided to put her head together. Both with her own team and with her colleagues from the floor, the kitchen and cleaning. Lieke: "We then really sat down together: what is going on, what should we do differently and how do we get that satisfaction back up?"
It was a valuable moment, she says. Because concrete action points came out of it, people got to know each other better and cooperation improved. "We really saw that reflected in the figures. From sixes and sevens we went back to nines and tens! And then you literally get back from customers that people walk around happily, are helpful and feel welcome. Then I think: yes, that's what we do it for."
Growing a young team
Since last summer, Lieke has been a manager, and that requires a different perspective. She finds it important to look not only at customers and turnover, but also at the people in her team. MeetUp works a lot with junior account managers: young professionals at the beginning of their careers. "I would like to be an inspiring leader for young professionals," she says. "By enthusiastically sharing why I have been working here for so long, what I have experienced and what is possible."
For Lieke, that also means listening well and taking colleagues seriously. Open communication and transparency are most important in this, according to her. "People need to feel heard. At Jaarbeurs , the best idea comes first. And I want my team to know that we listen to them and actually do something with those ideas." These young professionals in particular often come up with valuable and fresh insights that are worth taking seriously. That, she says, is where the opportunity lies to make a real impact and be able to make a difference.
Into the future
Lieke likes to look ahead and wants to further develop MeetUp so that it better meets customers' needs. She does this by taking customer feedback, following market trends and exploring new possibilities, such as hybrid forms and smart technologies (such as AI).
The market is shifting from booking a space to creating an experience, in which interaction, technology and impact are central. Therefore, it is important to understand the purpose of a meeting well in order to respond optimally to customer needs. This is where there are opportunities to differentiate on experience, strong hybrid facilities and providing targeted advice on the right venue and setting, with room for interaction, customisation and flexibility.
For her, the basis remains the same: connecting people, making teams stronger and achieving success together. Because, she concludes: "At Jaarbeurs , it's not just about spaces, events or targets. It's about people. And that's where I feel at home."
